


Coffee Shop Conversations

by castielanderson



Series: Kamala Khan Meets the Young Avengers [1]
Category: Ms. Marvel (Comics), Young Avengers
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-10
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-12 12:35:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2110140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/castielanderson/pseuds/castielanderson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While on a visit to NYC with Nakia, Kamala meets Billy Kaplan and his hulk of a boyfriend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coffee Shop Conversations

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a little introduction thing to a series I want to start entitled "Kamala Khan Meets the Young Avengers" based on headcanons and rambling conversations with Summer, tumblr user buckbarton.

Everything about the trip to New York City with Nakia had been pretty normal up until this moment.  They'd gone shopping, and Kamala had managed to drag Nakia to her favorite comic shop.  They'd had a super nice lunch at this Thai place, and now they're settling down for some coffee after hitting Barnes and Noble.

Kamala steps into line and looks around blindly.  Then she spots someone who looks eerily family - the brown eyes, the swoop of dark hair, the buttonish nose.  Kamala has seen his picture plenty of times on comic fansites, spread throughout various forums.  She would know him from a mile away.  A squee works its way up her throat, but she manages to keep it in by bouncing on the balls of her feet and flailing her hands.

"Oh no," Nakia mutters.  "What's wrong, Kamala?"

"Look," she whispers loudly, leaning into her friend.  "Over there by the window.  With the blue scarf."

"Yes?"

"That's _Billy Kaplan_."

"Billy . . . Kaplan . . . " Nakia repeats, disinterested.

"Wiccan!" Kamala clarifies, overenthusiastically.  "He's the son of the Scarlet Witch and Vision - well, reincarnated son.  Him and his twin brother, Tommy, were killed, but the Scarlet Witch brought their souls back when - "

"Kamala," Nakia says, holding up a hand.  "Calm down and just go talk to him like a normal human being."

Kamala whirls her head around, looking at Nakia with wide eyes.  "I can't.  He's a _superhero_."

" _You're_ a superhero," Nakia points out, and Kamala blinks like she forgot.

"Right," she says.  "Yeah.  I am, and - and I can be normal.  I can be cool."

She takes a deep breath, wringing out her hands.  Clenching her fists, she opens her eyes and wills herself to move forward.  Her leg twitches, but that's about it.  She can't move any farther, crippled with anxiety.

"Oh no, Nakia.  I can't - _I can't_.  He doesn't know me.   I'm just - I'm gonna seem like some crazy fan, and I don't - he's freaking _Wiccan_ \- "

"Kamala."

"I'm gonna make a huge fool out of myself - I can see it already.  And he'll just stare at me like - "

_"Kamala."_

"Huh?"

"Do I need to physically push you over there?" Nakia asks, giving her a small nudge.

Kamala shakes her head.  "No," she says confidently.  "I'm gonna - I'm going.  I'm going to introduce myself to Billy Kaplan."  A small noise of excitement makes its way out of her mouth, but she pushes on, making her way over to him.

He looks up uncertainly when she approaches, flashing a shy smile.  "HI," he says, the slightest bit awkward.  It looks like he's working on homework, and his phone is out, one earbud in his ear.  "Um - do I know you?"

"No - no," Kamala stammers.  "Um - I'm Kamala - Kamala Khan, and I just - I've been such a huge fan of the Young Avengers since you guys started, and man, you're so inspirational honestly.  You guys kick ass, and you're all so amazing.  I wish I could be as amazing as you, but I only just got powers, and it's _really_ hard to figure out, but - "

She stops short, realizing how much she's said.  A hand comes up to cover her mouth and stares at Billy with fearful eyes, but all he does is laugh.

"Um, thanks," he begins.  "It means a lot to hear all of that.  Uh - go ahead and take a seat, Kamala."  He gestures to the empty booth across from him, and she eagerly slides in.

"I'm sorry," she says, hanging her head, but Billy just waves it off.

"No worries, Kamala," he says.  "We appreciate all the support we can get."

"Well, you have mine one hundred percent," Kamala says, laughing awkwardly, wheezing slightly and hiccupping.

Billy just smiles, thoroughly enraptured with her joy.  "So, uh - you're new?" he asks, and Kamala nods.  "I remember when I first began," he continues, and his face becomes several shades darker for a second.  "I almost killed someone, but - let's forget about that, since I happen to know that _you_ saved someone's life."

Kamala blinks, totally unprepared.  "Wait - ," she begins, shocked.  "You know - you _know_ who I am?"

"You're not the only one who follows comic fansites," Billy says.  "I know there's no way that could have been Captain Marvel.  Plus, I can see the lightning bolt on your shirt that looks strikingly familiar to your costume."

Kamala looks down stupidly at her chest, then looks back up at Billy with a sheepish grin.  "Right," she says.  "I'm obviously talented at being undercover."

Billy smirks, leaning back in his seat.  "We were all young once."

Kamala laughs, then points out, "You're a year older than me."

"In human years, yes," Billy replies.  "But in terms of a superhero, I've been using my powers for three years.  I know a thing or two more than you.  It's only fact."

Kamala rolls her eyes, secretly imploding at how easily she's just entered a playful conversation with _Billy freaking Kaplan_ , aka Wiccan, aka the son of Scarlet Witch and Vision.

"So, Kamala - what's your poison?"

"Um - well," she has a to think for a second.  "I can do this thing - well, I guess I would just call it shape-shifting, but it's pretty limited."

Billy nods, eyebrows shooting upward.  "Looks like you should be talking to Teddy, then."

Excitement bubbles in Kamala's throat at the idea.  Not only is she exchanging conversation with Billy Kaplan, but now he's alluding to introducing her to Teddy Altman, aka Hulking, aka Dorrek VIII, Kree Prince.

"Could - could I really talk to him?" she asks, laying her palms flat on the table to brace herself.

"Yeah, I would assume so, considering he's just arrived," Billy replies, smiling and waving somewhere behind her.

Kamala turns around in a flash, eyes popping and jaw dropping slightly when she sees Teddy Altman walking toward them.  He doesn't even give her a funny look as he drops into the seat beside Billy.  He just smiles and holds a hand out for her to shake.

"Teddy Altman."

She takes it carefully, like she's handling precious jewels.  "Kamala Khan."

"She's the new Ms. Marvel," Billy adds for her.

Teddy grins wider.  "I was wondering when we would meet you."

Kamala almost faints.

"She was asking for your help," Billy continues.

"Really?" Teddy asks.

"No, I kind of just offered it.  She's a shape-shifter, so I figured - "

"Oh, yeah - I could totally help you," Teddy says excitedly.  "That would be awesome."

Kamala can't even talk, she stares at the two of them in awe, heart pounding in her chest.  She feels like she could explode, and when she opens her mouth to offer words of gratitude, all that comes out is a noise like a pterodactyl.

Billy and Teddy both just smile at her.

"I think she's excited," Billy faux-whispers.

"You have no idea," Kamala actually whispers.  "You guys are just - oh my gosh - I might die."

"Please, don't," Billy says.  "That wouldn't be very helpful."

"No," Kamala agrees, shaking her head.  "You're right, it wouldn't."

Billy laughs again, and Kamala thinks she might be thoroughly infatuated with the noise.  She sighs heavily, still staring at them.

"You guys are so cute," she blurts out.

Billy and Teddy blush, looking at each other.  "Thank you," they both mutter at the same time, and Kamala just wants to pinch their cheeks.

"So, uh - " Billy begins again, pausing to clear his throat.  "How'd your parents take it?  Or, don't they know?"

Kamala sighs overdramatically.  "Of course they don't know, but they're still insane.  You have no idea.  The night Igot my powers, I snuck out to go to a party, so that was a mess to begin with, and then I started staying up late and sneaking around and leaving without telling them and basically they think some sort of demon has inhabited by body and that I'm throwing my life away.  They're _so_ ridiculous."

Billy snorts.  "My parents might not be that outrageous, but let me tell you - my dad's a doctor, a cardiologist, and my mom's a psychologist.  Every time I come back from a long mission my mom basically locks me in the house to check up on my psyche and make sure I haven't lost my mind yet.  I might just lose it in that house, actually."

"Hey," Teddy says, nudging him and reaching over to grab Billy's coffee.  "Your mom had good reason."

Billy rolls his eyes.  "Yeah, yeah - I know, Teddy.  I don't talk, I bottle things up, blah, blah, blah - she doesn't have to be so rigid about it, though.  Like, please.  I'm going to therapy; what more does she need?"

Teddy pats his boyfriend's arm like someone smoothing the fur of an agitated puppy.  Kamala has to cover her mouth to disguise her giggle.

"Well, Kamala," Teddy says, "I hope things work out with your folks.  It's not fun having to sneak around.  I'm kind of relieved we don't have to sneak around Billy's parents anymore - for superhero reasons that is."

Billy blushes again, looking at him warningly.

"Sorry," Teddy says in a tone that's not very sorry at all.

Kamala just smirks.

"Anyway," Teddy continues, looking back at her.  "I'd totally be interested in helping you train.  I know shape-shifting is a really hard thing to control when you first start learning how to use it."

"Yeah," Kamala agrees, "I just - kind of made up signal words that I say in hopes of my body listening."

Teddy laughs.  "I'll help you so you won't really need words at all.  Just the smallest bit of concentration.  Soon enough it'll be second nature - like riding a bike."

"Oh, man, I hope so," Kamala mumbles.

"Here," Teddy says, ripping a piece of paper from Billy's notebook.  ("Hey - I was copying notes!" "You'll live.")  "I'll give you my number, Kamala.  Just text me some dates that you're free."  He scribbles down  his cell and gives it to her.  However, before she can grab it, Billy snatches it up.

"Let me give her my number, too.  Jeez.  Least you can do if you're gonna steal my paper."

Teddy chuckles, watching his boyfriend with a look of adoration and slight smugness.

"There," Billy says, folding the piece of paper in half and handing it to her.  She takes it eagerly and then cradles it to her chest.  "Text me any time you want, Kamala.  You're pretty cool and I would love to hang out with you sometime."

She nods wordlessly. 

"We mean it," Teddy says.  "We just lost a teammate, so - we're always looking for new ones, and you seem pretty trustworthy.  You just have to train up."

She almost bursts into tears.

"Teddy, don't give her an aneurysm.  One step at a time."

"No, no," Kamala says quickly.  "I mean - thank you.  Thank you so much.  You have no idea how much this means to me."

Which is true, honestly.  She's fought with Wolverine and taken the image of Ms. Marvel, but to actually have superheroes on her side - more than just icons to admire - it means the world.

"We just want you to know you're not alone, Kamala," Billy says, offering her a real, genuine smile.

She nods again.  "I won't forget that."  She gives them one last grin as she gets up and waves goodbye.  Billy and Teddy both wave back.

Nakia is waiting for her, arms crossed and tapping her foot.  Kamala worries she's taken too long, but Nakia's lips break into a grin and she asks excitedly, "Well?  How'd it go?"

Kamala has to take a second to breathe and regroup.  "Better than I could have ever imagined."


End file.
